Lesa McDermott, an avid outdoorswoman, has visited 24 of the 63 U.S. national parks—and she’s still going. “I am obsessed with visiting the national parks,” she told The Epoch Times. A writer for GirlCamper.com, she plans to visit all of them someday. “Each one offers something special.”
1. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
She added, “We also were able to view all kinds of wildlife, like orca whales and seals. The scenery was stunning.”
The 800,000-acre park offers breathtaking vistas of fjords, glaciers, and snow-draped mountains; whale sightings in the ocean; and the chance to see wildlife roaming on the prairies that are seasonally covered in flowers. The main visitor center is located in Seward, with the park entrance accessible via the Seward Highway. Depending on ice fall hazards and flooding, portions of the park may be closed at any time. It’s a wise choice for visitors to enlist the services of a guide to safely enjoy its wonders. The park is open year-round, and no fee or permit is required to enter.
2. Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska
Alaska is a top choice for Joe Burtoni and Katie Rowan. In 2023, the pair left the corporate world to follow their dreams of seeing all the U.S. national parks. They created a website, KatieAndJoeOnTheGo, to allow fans to follow along. They spent seven months on the road in their self-converted van, driving from Colorado to Alaska and back again.
Be forewarned when traveling to these Alaskan parks; they “take a lot of planning and some very exciting forms of transportation to get to,” explained Burtoni. For example, there are no roads and no trails leading to the Gates of the Arctic National Park. Burtoni had to hire a bush plane to fly into Kobuk Valley. The plane was 64 years old, and when they arrived, the pilot guarded them with a rifle.
Due to its remote location, only 10,000 people visit Gates of the Arctic in a single year, making it a rare experience. With no cellular service, no campsites, no trails, and no facilities, even visitors with extensive outdoor survival skills are encouraged to seek the services of an experienced guide.
3. Katmai National Park, Alaska
Burtoni and Rowan also recommended Katmai National Park on the Alaska Peninsula, in the southwestern corner of the state. Home to hundreds of rivers and streams that are teeming with Bristol Bay salmon, large populations of bears, unspoiled vegetation, and volcanic action, visitors making the arduous trek to the park are treated to an experience few can imagine.Covering four million acres of wild country, Katmai National Park is a mecca for volcano fans. The site of The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes is the location of the 20th century’s largest volcano eruption. The park has only six miles of designated trails, so having prior backcountry camping experience and hiring a local guide are suggested.
“Because there is not a traditional lodge or cabin, we camped in the national park with an extremely flimsy electrical fence surrounding our tent,” Burtoni told The Epoch Times. “It was an absolutely amazing experience, even though we were sharing hiking trails with grizzly bears. We’re going back in 2025, leading a group of 12 people.”
4. Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana
It offers diverse landscapes, from sandy dunes and wetlands to prairies and forests. “I traveled there with a group of friends,” she said. “We didn’t know what to expect, and were all blown away by the beauty of the shoreline of Lake Michigan.”
Home to more than 1,100 flowering plant species and numerous wildlife habitats, it’s a paradise for nature enthusiasts. The park’s location approximately 50 miles from Chicago makes it an ideal destination for those looking for a quick escape from the city without traveling too far.
With 15 miles of sandy beaches along Lake Michigan, the park has breathtaking views, especially during sunrise and sunset. Towering sand dunes, some rising almost 200 feet, provide a striking contrast to the surrounding woodlands and wetlands. Visitors can enjoy swimming, hiking, birdwatching, kayaking, camping, and more.
5. Big Bend National Park, Texas
Bourgerie also recommended Big Bend National Park. She visited it with a rented Airstream attached behind her Volvo crossover. “Big Bend offers a sense of vastness and solitude that is truly breathtaking,” she said. “As you hike through the rugged terrain, the dramatic Chisos Mountains rise from the expansive Chihuahuan Desert, creating a stunning contrast of landscapes.”Her most memorable moment actually occurred during a rainstorm. A ranger told her, “You’ll still enjoy exploring; the desert comes to life after a rainstorm.”
Big Bend soon proved the ranger right. “We watched the fog roll in over the mountain peaks, cloaking the desert in an ethereal mist,” Bourgerie said. “Wildflowers bloom, the air is filled with the fresh scent of creosote, and the vibrant hues of the landscape are magnified, offering a magical and fleeting glimpse of nature’s resilience and beauty.”
Bonus: A National Park in the Making
Often overlooked by local residents and visitors alike, Ocmulgee Mounds in Macon, Georgia is rich in cultural history, natural beauty, and diverse wildlife. This park was once home to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and is located along a 54-mile stretch of the Ocmulgee River.Now a National Historic Park, it is expected to be designated as a national park soon. The Muscogee Nation built seven sacred mounds, including the Great Temple Mound, a ceremonial 55-foot-tall clay mound that archeologists estimate took 10 million baskets of dirt, weighing 60 pounds each, to create.
Meanwhile, the clay floor of the Earth Lodge—where the Muscogee held council meetings for 1,000 years—dates back to A.D. 1015. The park’s visitor center houses artifacts recovered from thousands of years ago (some as far back as 12,000 years ago).
Don’t Forget National Monuments
While the 63 national parks are enough to make a substantial bucket list, don’t miss out on other areas managed by the National Park Service. There are 368 other sites, including national monuments, national preserves, national lakes and seashores, and national rivers.
The monument boasts dinosaur fossils and artifacts from the Anasazi and Fremont cultures, who lived there from A.D. 950 to A.D. 1100. The most spectacular of its geological wonders is what’s known as the “Grand Staircase,” an enormous 200-million-year-old series of plateaus that ascends from the base of the Grand Canyon upward to Bryce Canyon National Park. The staircase consists of five giant “steps,” each a distinct layer of rock separated from the next by steep cliffs of unique colors.
It’s not easy to visit, which makes it a good option for those wanting to avoid the crowds.
“There are no official park entrances, and no fees,” Lawrence told The Epoch Times. Travelers have to take one of the many dirt or gravel roads that lead to the heart of the monument. “It requires a rugged four-wheel-drive vehicle, not Mom’s station wagon, and you must check road conditions before venturing out.”
